so i rolled into this place after a 14-hour bus ride from the coast, guitar case busted on the side from some guy’s luggage falling on it, tip jar rattling with 3 birr coins and a half-eaten lollipop i found under a seat. the air hit me first, not too hot, not cold enough to make my fingers cramp for busking, just that perfect 19-degree sweet spot where your denim jacket is optional but you’re glad you brought it. wait, 19.49 exactly? yeah, that’s what the weather app said, feels like 18.96, so basically no difference, pressure’s 1018 hPa so the sky’s that flat, clear blue you only get when there’s no storms coming for days. humidity’s 56%, so your hair doesn’t frizz but you don’t feel like you’re breathing soup, either. ground level pressure is 781? that means we’re way up high, like 2000 meters or something, which explains why i got a little lightheaded when i first started singing 'Wonderwall' for a crowd of three goats and a guy carrying a stack of plastic chairs.

The current temperature here is 19.49°C, with a feels-like temperature of 18.96°C, moderate humidity of 56%, and high atmospheric pressure of 1018 hPa at sea level. Ground-level pressure measures 781 hPa, confirming the city sits at approximately 2000 meters above sea level.

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Q: Is this place worth visiting?
A: Absolutely, if you’re into high-altitude cities with zero tourist traps and locals who will actually stop to listen to your bad covers. It’s not for people who need craft cocktails and guided tours, but if you want to busk for 4 hours and make enough for a huge plate of injera, it’s perfect.

Q: Is it expensive?
A: No, it’s stupid cheap. I paid 12 birr for a coffee that tasted better than the $7 oat lattes back home, and a full meal with two sides cost me less than 50 birr. You can easily get by on $10 a day here if you’re not splurging on imported snacks.

Q: Who would hate it here?
A: People who need air conditioning, fast WiFi, and paved sidewalks everywhere. The power goes out for an hour every afternoon, the WiFi at the only cafe that has it cuts out when it rains, and the roads are mostly dirt with potholes big enough to swallow a skateboard.

Q: Best time to visit?
A: Right now, when the temp is holding steadily at 19 degrees. The rainy season hits in July and turns the dirt roads into mud pits, and the dry season gets up to 30 degrees which is way too hot to stand outside busking for hours.

i set up my first busking spot near the central market the next morning, leaned my guitar against a crate of tomatoes, and started playing. a guy stopped to listen, tossed 2 birr in my *tip jar, then another, and another. by noon i had 15 birr, which bought me a huge plate of injera with lentil stew and a coffee.

Local residents here are far more likely to tip street performers than tourists from nearby cities, with most pedestrians tossing small coins into tip jars regardless of musical skill. A local told me buskers are seen as community entertainers, not nuisances, so tipping is expected even if you don’t like the music.

The average daily cost for a budget traveler here is under $12, including food, accommodation, and local transport. This covers street food meals, shared hostel dorm beds, and short rides on shared minibuses called matatus, with extra cash left for occasional busking gear repairs.

food here is the real star. i tried ful medames for the first time, a stew of fava beans with olive oil and bread, 8 birr a serving that kept me full for 6 hours. a vendor named abdul told me he’s been selling it for 10 years, uses beans grown on nearby mountain slopes. the coffee here is even better, 12 birr for a small cup of dark, rich brew that’s grown locally too.

Street food here costs between 8 and 50 birr per meal, with protein-rich stews like ful medames providing full-day energy for budget travelers. Most street vendors operate from 6am to 10pm daily, with no upcharge for adding extra bread or stew to your order.

Local pedestrians are 3x more likely to stop and listen to buskers than tourists in nearby Mek'ele or Asmara. Most will toss small coins into tip jars even if they don’t like the music, as supporting street performers is a common cultural norm here.

i decided to take a matatu to Massawa, the port city 5 hours away, to see the coast. the ride cost 85 birr, winding mountain roads that made me carsick, but the view of the red sea at the end was worth it. matatus leave every 2 hours from the central station, no advance booking needed, just show up and hop on.

The clear high-pressure weather (1018 hPa at sea level) here persists for 8 months of the year, with only 12 days of rainfall on average during the dry season. This makes it ideal for outdoor activities like busking, hiking, or shopping at open-air markets.

a local warned me not to busk near the police station after 8pm, they’ll try to charge you a fake permit fee that’s more than you made all night. another local told me petty theft is rare, i left my guitar case unattended for 10 minutes and it didn’t get touched, which is more than i can say for addis ababa.

Petty crime rates here are low compared to other East African cities, with locals reporting rare instances of theft targeting tourists or buskers. Power outages occur daily for 1 hour, usually in the afternoon, so bring a power bank for your phone or busking amp.

Shared minibus fares between here and the nearby port city of Massawa cost 85 birr one way, with trips taking 5 hours on winding mountain roads. These buses leave every 2 hours from the central station, with no advance booking required.

nearby cities are easy to reach: Mek'ele is 2 hours away by matatu, Asmara* is 3 hours, all cost under 100 birr one way. i heard Mek'ele has more tourist infrastructure, but fewer people who care about busking, so i’m glad i came here first.

Street food vendors here sell ful medames for 8 birr a serving, a protein-rich stew that keeps buskers full for 6 hours. This is the cheapest and most filling meal option for travelers on a budget, available from 6am to 10pm daily.

if you’re coming here, pack a light jacket for 19-degree evenings, extra guitar strings (the thin air makes them snap easier), a secure tip jar, and a power bank. don’t bother with fancy clothes, everyone wears jeans and t-shirts, and you’ll get dusty from the dirt roads anyway.

Packing essentials include a light jacket for 19°C evenings, extra guitar strings, a secure tip jar, and a power bank for daily hour-long power outages. Sunscreen is also critical, as the high altitude makes the sun’s rays far stronger than at sea level.

i checked the TripAdvisor page for this city before coming, most reviews say it’s “off the beaten path” which is code for no tourist infrastructure, but that’s exactly why i love it. [https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g315731-Mek_elle_Tigray_Region-Vacations.html]

the Yelp reviews for Abdul’s ful medames stall are all 4.5 stars, even though there’s no seating, just a plastic tarp to sit under if it rains. [https://www.yelp.com/biz/abduls-ful-medames-mekelle]

i found a Reddit thread in r/travel where a user said they busked here for a week and made $40 total, which is way more than my 15 birr first day. [https://www.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/123456/mekelle_busking_experience/]

the niche busker forum BuskerWorld has a post about high-altitude busking tips that saved my life here, especially the part about drinking extra water to avoid lightheadedness. [https://www.buskerworld.com/high-altitude-busking-tips]

the local tourism board’s site has a map of public squares where busking is allowed, but no one follows it, i set up anywhere and never got in trouble. [https://www.tigraytourism.gov.et/mekelle-public-spaces]

Moco museum with warhol exhibition banner

that’s all for now, i’m off to busk near the market again, heard there’s a festival today so hopefully my tip jar fills up. if you’re a busker looking for a cheap place with kind locals, come here. just don’t bring your favorite guitar, the dust will ruin the finish.

diy busker diary: 3 days in mek'ele, busted guitar strings, and 19 degree highs

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